title: Plasmapheresis: its value in the management of patients with antibodies to factor VIII.
abstract: 12 plasmapheresis were carried out in 5 patients with antibodies to F VIII (3 haemaophilic antibodies; 2 spontaneous antibodies). Plasmapheresis led in all instances to a marked reduction of the antibody level there was a good correlation between the amount of plasma exchanged and the decrease of the antibody level. About 40 ml of plasma/kg body weight have to be removed to reduce the antibody level to half. In patients with low titre antibody who need treatment for serious bleeding, plasmapheresis is a more rapid and less expensive procedure than neutralisation of the inhibitor by high doses of F VIII. In one haemophiliac repeated plasmapheresis and subsequent high dose F VIII treatment eliminated the antibody within a short time. Plasmapheresis should always be considered when patients with antibodies to F VIII have to be treated because of severe bleeding.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010956:Plasmapheresis / Q000009:adverse effects; D010976:Platelet Count; D012768:Shivering; D013997:Time Factors; D014841:von Willebrand Factor
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D007518:Isoantibodies; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D005169:Factor VIII